St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-16
LABOR LEGISLATION.

Some of the Bills Now Before the
Legislature and Their Provis-
ions.
If the labor organizations do not obtain
much legislation desired by them this win
ter. it will not be for the reason that thei1
representatives are not working indus
triously to accomplish it. A large number
OF bills in the interest of organized IL
have been presented in either The
senate or the house, and some of them
have already been reported favorably
upon by the committee on labor. The con-
vict labor bill provides for the adjustment
OF the convict contract labor system in the
state prison as soon as the present contract
expires, and that the labor be under the
direct management of the state. There is
every indication that this bill will become a
law. A very important bill, and one fol-
which labor organizations have made great
Efforts to secure the passage. is the me-
chanicS lien law, which is, in substance, in
effect in many states. The principal points
IL this law are as follows:
All labor performed by contract or by the
day on any building, article or utility, shall
be a first lien to the full amount of the money
or other consideration agreed upon between
the owner or employer and employee whether
the person performing the work be q con-
tractor, sub-contractOr or worker for wages.
IN addition 10 the lien for labor there shall
be added all costs and also a reasonable sum
of money as an attorneys fee-the amount
to be determined by the court having juris-
dictioE of such claims. All such amounts
together with wages, shall be taken from the
property on which the lien is filed, whether
such property be real estate or personal.
The material furnished
SHALL BE A SECOND LIEN,
and any contractor receiving the full amount
or his contract and failing to pay the person
performing the labor or furnishing the ma
ter1al, thereby allowing a lien to be filed on
such property. shall be deemed guilty of OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses, and
may be punished in the name of the people
under the statute provided for this offence.
Inc record OF ownership in the Office of the
register of deeds shall be satisfactory evi-
deuCe of ownership.
A bill has also been presented making
eight hours legal days work for all work.
men employed by the state. This is the
same as the United States law and will
probably pass. A bill is also before the
legislature making railroads responsible for
injuries to employees whether caused by
negligence OF other employees or otherwise.
This Will meet with much opposition. Mr..
Donnelly has also introduced a bill in
tended to prevent usury and reducing the
legal rate OF interest. This is intended to
prevent the usuriOus collections of
monthly commissions by those who
loan money on chattel NOR t.
cages. a point which has been
found very difficult to reach. Mr.. Merril's
bill providing that all employees be paid
weekly has been under consideration by the
house labor committee, where some of its
provisions met with opposition. and it was
laid over for further consideration. The
bill to abolish the board Of immigration was
considered by the committee and recon-
mended for passage.